All Discussions Tagged 'church' - Think Atheist2015-03-31T21:07:40Zhttp://www.thinkatheist.com/forum/topic/listForTag?tag=church&feed=yes&xn_auth=noAtheist Church - My Journey Back to Communitytag:www.thinkatheist.com,2014-04-26:1982180:Topic:14525662014-04-26T12:20:33.650Zdataguyhttp://www.thinkatheist.com/profile/Dataguy
<div><span>My family and I left Christianity about 4 years ago, and I've been an active member of ThinkAtheist since before then. Recently something has happened in my life that I really want to share.</span><div> </div>
<div>As Christians, my family and I were actively involved in church. I was leading 4 Bible studies each week, and one of them was a family-oriented small group which met in our home. Christianity really was a way of life for us.</div>
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<div>In 2008 we realized…</div>
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<div><span>My family and I left Christianity about 4 years ago, and I've been an active member of ThinkAtheist since before then. Recently something has happened in my life that I really want to share.</span><div> </div>
<div>As Christians, my family and I were actively involved in church. I was leading 4 Bible studies each week, and one of them was a family-oriented small group which met in our home. Christianity really was a way of life for us.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>In 2008 we realized that Christianity wouldn't allow us to live moral lives as we understood morality, and we stopped going to church and I stopped leading those Bible studies. It's been a painful couple of years as those we considered close friends rejected us because they couldn't be friends with people who didn't believe like they did.</div>
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<div>I know I've struggled quite a bit over these past few years. I work among people I used to go to church with, so my everyday environment wasn't accepting of my new life.</div>
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<div>As a Christian I studied community. I sincerely believe that humans function best in community, and life is most difficult when we live outside the herd or tribe.</div>
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<div>I'm writing this because in the past few weeks an amazing thing has happened. I've joined a group of Atheist which meet on Sunday mornings to 'practice community.' The group was founded by a former Lutheran pastor who had to admit to his congregation he was an Atheist, and leave his church. This is the Houston group in this article, which recently appeared in the Washington Post <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/religion/dont-call-it-atheist-church-secular-communities-are-growing/2014/04/11/2b7b6234-c1ad-11e3-9ee7-02c1e10a03f0_story.html">here</a>.</div>
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<div>There is a trend toward Atheist communities happening not only in the USA, but it other parts of the World as well. I'd like to believe this trend will lead to somewhat permanent solutions in everyday life for unbelievers like us.</div>
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<div>Now I have a confession to make: Over the past 4 years, every week on Saturday evening or Sunday morning I would experience a mild depression, and a longing to be back in a group of people with whom I found safety for me and my family. The best thing I found to do was to scour the pages of ThinkAtheist to try to immerse myself in like-minded thought. I'm truly grateful for the community that I've found here, but I also recognize that online community can only go so far.</div>
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<div>I also recognize that there has been some debate among Atheists regarding the value of 'imitating church' as some put it. I believe I understand the arguments, and I also understand that there are different kinds of Atheists. I feel fortunate that I've found what works for me and I wish everyone could find what works for them.</div>
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<div>Without a doubt I'll continue to hang out here at ThinkAtheist, but I'd encourage all of you to find ways you can transform your beliefs or lack of beliefs into a regular part of your lives offline as well as online.</div>
</div> Alternative to Churchtag:www.thinkatheist.com,2014-04-23:1982180:Topic:14517792014-04-23T17:16:31.920ZGaryhttp://www.thinkatheist.com/profile/Gary615
<p>My wife is a Christian (I'm working on it) and my kids know that she is and that I am not. I can no longer go to church with them. I was thinking of giving my children an option to come with me and fill that time with other things such as discussing art, or philosophy, or science, or just any better conversation. </p>
<p>I would like some suggestion as to replacements for Sunday morning church that I could do with my children to help show a fulfilled mind without believing in an imaginary…</p>
<p>My wife is a Christian (I'm working on it) and my kids know that she is and that I am not. I can no longer go to church with them. I was thinking of giving my children an option to come with me and fill that time with other things such as discussing art, or philosophy, or science, or just any better conversation. </p>
<p>I would like some suggestion as to replacements for Sunday morning church that I could do with my children to help show a fulfilled mind without believing in an imaginary friend. Please help me with some suggestions.</p>
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<p> </p> What has the Christian Church done to you?tag:www.thinkatheist.com,2013-10-09:1982180:Topic:13872202013-10-09T15:21:59.565ZYeddie Joneshttp://www.thinkatheist.com/profile/ChrisHume
<p>When talking to many people, I get the notion that many Americans have grown up in a Christian church. Along side that, many leave the church because of something that the church did to them or they had a bad experience or they just didn't agree with it. </p>
<p>I want to know what peoples experiences are with the American Christian Church is, and if this drove them/opened their eyes to not believing in God. Also, if you once believed there was a god, what was the moment that you stopped…</p>
<p>When talking to many people, I get the notion that many Americans have grown up in a Christian church. Along side that, many leave the church because of something that the church did to them or they had a bad experience or they just didn't agree with it. </p>
<p>I want to know what peoples experiences are with the American Christian Church is, and if this drove them/opened their eyes to not believing in God. Also, if you once believed there was a god, what was the moment that you stopped believing there was and why. </p>
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<p>- I don't want this to be just a big bashing session on Christians in general, I actually want to hear your experiences, if you don't mind sharing. </p> Church-The "Hook-up" Placetag:www.thinkatheist.com,2013-07-03:1982180:Topic:13465542013-07-03T12:54:11.577Z_Robert_http://www.thinkatheist.com/profile/RobertCampbell
<p>I was chatting with a guy who says he is going through the congregation, one single mom at a time. He says in their quest for a "god fearing" man, church ladies will overlook certain obvious character flaws. The wolf in sheep's clothing is an almost literal analogy. I asked if he believes in god "well sorta". amen.</p>
<p>PS. I can understand how a single mother would look to a church community in hopes the children would have some guidance. Things are seldom as they seem in the world of…</p>
<p>I was chatting with a guy who says he is going through the congregation, one single mom at a time. He says in their quest for a "god fearing" man, church ladies will overlook certain obvious character flaws. The wolf in sheep's clothing is an almost literal analogy. I asked if he believes in god "well sorta". amen.</p>
<p>PS. I can understand how a single mother would look to a church community in hopes the children would have some guidance. Things are seldom as they seem in the world of religion.</p> Do "atheist churches" help the cause?tag:www.thinkatheist.com,2013-06-24:1982180:Topic:13416572013-06-24T14:57:27.104ZUnseenhttp://www.thinkatheist.com/profile/Unseen
<p><strong>Church without God - by design</strong></p>
<p><em>It’s Sunday in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and a rapt congregation listens to a chaplain preach about the importance of building a community.</em></p>
<p><em>A few dozen people sit quietly for the hourlong service. Music is played, announcements are made and scholars wax poetic about the importance of compassion and community.</em></p>
<p><em>Outsiders could be forgiven for believing this service, with its homilies, its passing of the…</em></p>
<p><strong>Church without God - by design</strong></p>
<p><em>It’s Sunday in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and a rapt congregation listens to a chaplain preach about the importance of building a community.</em></p>
<p><em>A few dozen people sit quietly for the hourlong service. Music is played, announcements are made and scholars wax poetic about the importance of compassion and community.</em></p>
<p><em>Outsiders could be forgiven for believing this service, with its homilies, its passing of the plate, its uplifting songs, belongs in a church.</em></p>
<p><em>If so, it’s a church without one big player: God.</em></p>
<p>Read the rest <a href="http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2013/06/22/church-without-god-by-design/?hpt=hp_c4" target="_blank">here</a>.</p>
<p></p> The last time you went to church...tag:www.thinkatheist.com,2013-06-05:1982180:Topic:13229322013-06-05T08:35:53.025Z_Robert_http://www.thinkatheist.com/profile/RobertCampbell
<p>I would like to hear about your final service....</p>
<p>I recall my last mass. I was absent for many years and felt like "something was missing". I didn't even realize I had become an atheist. As I stepped through the threshold, dipped my hand in the holy water and signed the cross, the familiar scent of incense, the soft droning organ music and the loud echo of the occasional cough brought back a flood of memories from being raised as a catholic school boy.</p>
<p>I sat there, my biggest…</p>
<p>I would like to hear about your final service....</p>
<p>I recall my last mass. I was absent for many years and felt like "something was missing". I didn't even realize I had become an atheist. As I stepped through the threshold, dipped my hand in the holy water and signed the cross, the familiar scent of incense, the soft droning organ music and the loud echo of the occasional cough brought back a flood of memories from being raised as a catholic school boy.</p>
<p>I sat there, my biggest concern that I had forgotten the apostles' creed, and would be "caught". Or that I would stand instead of kneel. The lady next to me smiled at me and was a great singer. Sometimes I think people who sing well really enjoy church more.</p>
<p>However, suddenly I started thinking "this is such bullshit". With each phrase from the priest and sheep-borg response I started to be repulsed. I no longer belonged. I felt like a fake, about to gag. At some point the priest mentioned how the parking lot needed repair and then the basket came around again, and I was like "really? why do you assholes send the fucking basket around <strong>twice</strong>". Oh yeah. I had changed. I started looking at the deceived flock around me. I had become a contemptuous observer instead of a willing participant. I looked at the twenty foot blonde-haired jesus nailed to his cross and thought, big fucking deal, my own grandmother suffered way more than you.</p>
<p>As I got in my car, I knew that was the last time.</p> My kid wants to get baptized...tag:www.thinkatheist.com,2013-05-08:1982180:Topic:13060902013-05-08T05:22:17.409ZStephyhttp://www.thinkatheist.com/profile/StephanieVW
<p>I do not have kids.</p>
<p>...Yet. I take it for granted that in some capacity I probably will someday.</p>
<p>I would obviously raise them without religion and encourage them to think critically about any authoritarian beliefs they come across. However, seeing as kids do not and will not always agree with what their parents think, I see it being entirely possible that at some point, some friend, romantic interest, or close relative may influence them to visit a church they end up getting…</p>
<p>I do not have kids.</p>
<p>...Yet. I take it for granted that in some capacity I probably will someday.</p>
<p>I would obviously raise them without religion and encourage them to think critically about any authoritarian beliefs they come across. However, seeing as kids do not and will not always agree with what their parents think, I see it being entirely possible that at some point, some friend, romantic interest, or close relative may influence them to visit a church they end up getting really attached to. After all, when you become part of a religious community, it's often like getting adopted into a whole new family, which is hard to come by when you live in an area where you don't know any secularists other than yourselves.</p>
<p>So here's the thing - if a child of yours came up to you and said "Mom/Dad, I believe in Jesus now, and Reverend Honeycutt [I don't know] said that he'd baptize me next Sunday if you said it was okay", what would you do?</p>
<p>On one hand I could see myself saying "Fuuuuuuuuuck NO", and I'd tell said child they could join whatever church they wanted when they turned 18, only because by then I wouldn't have a say-so anyway. On the other, if religion or church is treated like it's "forbidden", it could have the opposite intended effect and make them want it more. Added to that there's the issue of wanting to keep religious BS out of the house (or if the ministry they want to join is particularly obnoxious or offensive) versus allowing your child to think for themselves and make their own decision, even if you strongly disagree with it.</p>
<p>Where do you guys stand on this? I honestly don't know what I think about it right now. Would your answer differ depending on age? How would you handle it?</p>
<p>PS, I just realized there's a similar discussion to this from March, so if I need to delete this then that's fine lol.</p> church in schools ranttag:www.thinkatheist.com,2013-04-27:1982180:Topic:12996822013-04-27T00:58:27.674Zangela kozmahttp://www.thinkatheist.com/profile/angelakozma
<p>Was reading an article about a high school principal who forced students to sit through several assemblies. Teaching the future has no hope but we have god to help. A student is fighting back. will post articles at end of this. In another school a teenage girl is fighting for a comprehensive sex education in school not just absence. I almost miss were the main concern is creation versus evolution. what does it say about schools that all aspects of religion are being dragged into the class…</p>
<p>Was reading an article about a high school principal who forced students to sit through several assemblies. Teaching the future has no hope but we have god to help. A student is fighting back. will post articles at end of this. In another school a teenage girl is fighting for a comprehensive sex education in school not just absence. I almost miss were the main concern is creation versus evolution. what does it say about schools that all aspects of religion are being dragged into the class room? What happened to school being were you learned how your body worked and life came forth. What happened to teaching about diseases not based on religious bias but actual causation and how to prevent it? Seriously. It is a bad sign when teenagers have to think for adults who are supposed to educating them.</p>
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<p><a href="http://www.patheos.com/blogs/wwjtd/2013/04/another-high-school-student-makes-a-stand/">http://www.patheos.com/blogs/wwjtd/2013/04/another-high-school-student-makes-a-stand/</a></p>
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<p><a href="http://amplifyyourvoice.org/u/dandaman6007/2009/06/22/teens-fight-for-comprehensive-sex-education-in-utah">http://amplifyyourvoice.org/u/dandaman6007/2009/06/22/teens-fight-for-comprehensive-sex-education-in-utah</a></p>
<p></p> Pope Francis, Another Zealot?tag:www.thinkatheist.com,2013-03-13:1982180:Topic:12738672013-03-13T21:09:47.323ZReal Life James Bondhttp://www.thinkatheist.com/profile/Skeptic1122
Take a good hard look into the life of new pope. To give an overview he thinks that:<br />
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Homosexuality is still a sin. He tells people to respect homosexuals, but whent the Argintinian government is going to make sam-sex marriage legal he says, "Let's not be naive, we're not talking about a simple political battle; it is a destructive pretension against the plan of God. We are not talking about a mere bill, but rather a machination of the Father of Lies that seeks to confuse and deceive the…
Take a good hard look into the life of new pope. To give an overview he thinks that:<br />
<br />
Homosexuality is still a sin. He tells people to respect homosexuals, but whent the Argintinian government is going to make sam-sex marriage legal he says, "Let's not be naive, we're not talking about a simple political battle; it is a destructive pretension against the plan of God. We are not talking about a mere bill, but rather a machination of the Father of Lies that seeks to confuse and deceive the children of God."<br />
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During his early life he gave up all his fancy posetions (personal cook, facy place to live, chauffeured limo) and made a pledge of poverty. This sounds awefully noble right? Wrong, look at why he had those things to start out with (because he was a cardinal). Think about what the Bible verson of Jesus would have done. He probably wouldn't have even considered giving those things out to preachers of his word anyway. So denying riches should be something that cardinals and popes HAVE to do an shouldn't be praised for. By the way, the pledge of poverty meant that he just had to live like everyone else in the community (what a saint -- sarcasm)<br />
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Lastly, there was a criminal complaint filed against him by a human rights lawyer for the abduction of two Jesuit priests. However, there was no evidence to prove that he had anything to do with it. :)<br />
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Please leave your thoughts and comments on the new pope Now The Catholic Church Is Arguing That Fetuses Are NOT Persons (loud forehead slap)tag:www.thinkatheist.com,2013-01-26:1982180:Topic:12517362013-01-26T01:21:09.110ZUnseenhttp://www.thinkatheist.com/profile/Unseen
<p>Lori Stodghill was 31-years old, seven-months pregnant with twin boys and feeling sick when she arrived at St. Thomas More hospital in Cañon City on New Year’s Day 2006. She was vomiting and short of breath and she passed out as she was being wheeled into an examination room. Medical staff tried to resuscitate her but, as became clear only later, a main artery feeding her lungs was clogged and the clog led to a massive heart attack. Stodghill’s obstetrician, Dr. Pelham Staples, who also…</p>
<p>Lori Stodghill was 31-years old, seven-months pregnant with twin boys and feeling sick when she arrived at St. Thomas More hospital in Cañon City on New Year’s Day 2006. She was vomiting and short of breath and she passed out as she was being wheeled into an examination room. Medical staff tried to resuscitate her but, as became clear only later, a main artery feeding her lungs was clogged and the clog led to a massive heart attack. Stodghill’s obstetrician, Dr. Pelham Staples, who also happened to be the obstetrician on call for emergencies that night, never answered a page. His patient died at the hospital less than an hour after she arrived and her twins died in her womb.</p>
<p>In the aftermath of the tragedy, Stodghill’s husband Jeremy, a prison guard, filed a wrongful-death lawsuit (against <span>Catholic Health Initiatives)</span> on behalf of himself and the couple’s then-two-year-old daughter Elizabeth. Staples should have made it to the hospital, his lawyers argued, or at least instructed the frantic emergency room staff to perform a caesarian-section. The procedure likely would not have saved the mother, a testifying expert said, but it may have saved the twins.</p>
<p>...</p>
<p>(W)hen it came to mounting a defense in the Stodghill case, Catholic Health’s lawyers effectively turned the Church directives on their head. Catholic organizations have for decades fought to change federal and state laws that fail to protect “unborn persons,” and Catholic Health’s lawyers in this case had the chance to set precedent bolstering anti-abortion legal arguments. Instead, they are arguing state law protects doctors from liability concerning unborn fetuses on grounds that those fetuses are not persons with legal rights. (<a href="http://coloradoindependent.com/126808/in-malpractice-case-catholic-hospital-argues-fetuses-arent-people" target="_blank">source</a>)</p>